


Times Like This

by sparrowflight002



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Campfire, Gen, OG Fai is there more as a memory, Post-Story, cause i love them, is that even a tag people search for?, lots of metaphors, nirai kanai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:00:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24798820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrowflight002/pseuds/sparrowflight002
Summary: Life is finally peaceful, and it's time for Fai to move on.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Times Like This

**Author's Note:**

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> www.shynerdycactus.tumblr.com

Fai stood alone in the dark, his wistful gaze scanning the night sky.

At times like this, when the world fell into silence and the sky was full of stars, he couldn’t help but reminisce. The stars had always seemed so bright when he was trapped beside the tower, there wasn’t any other light to block their view. At the time, they gave him hope, reminded him that there was still a whole universe waiting outside of their tiny prison. Whenever his fingers tortured him with pain, whenever it seemed like they had no chance to escape their fate, he could stare at the sea of constellations above him and imagine how the world could be that endless and beautiful. Sometimes, it had been all that kept him going.

Despite everything that happened since then, despite how much he had changed, he still felt connected to these stars. It was as though they had shared that experience with him; they remembered what it was like.

Syaoran’s cheerful voice called to him from a few metres away, and Fai turned his gaze to the campfire he was beginning to light just off their deck. They were staying a while in Nirai Kanai before heading to the next world, they had collectively decided they deserved a short rest. It was nice to spend time with his traveling companions when it didn’t feel like the world was crumbling around them.

He wasn’t sure if the stars had made him overly sentimental, but as he began to walk through the garden to their campfire, Fai found himself wishing that his brother could have been here with him. How unfair it was that he got to meet such wonderful people and live a full life, when his brother had a short one of nothing but pain. And Fai hadn’t made it any better, keeping him tied to this world for so long.

He sat down on the makeshift log bench they had made, watching the tiny fire grow as Syaoran took care of it. Kurogane had gone to pick some of the fruit from nearby trees, and Syaoran took this time to excitedly explain his plan.

“So, I heard in town yesterday that if you roast fruit over a fire, it tastes and feels completely different! Once Kurogane-san gets back with the fruit, we’ll put it on those metal sticks and over the fire. I can’t believe I’ve never tried this before!”

Fai smiled at the boy’s exuberant energy. Without the stress of saving the princess’ life, he almost became a different person.

Kurogane soon returned with a basket of various sized fruits, and the three got to work setting the fruit on the metal rods. Fai and Syaoran both easily fit a few berries and smaller fruits onto theirs, while Kurogane continued to struggle to fit what looked like a pear onto the end of his.

“Why would you even choose something that large?” Fai giggled, watching the metal rod bend under Kurogane’s strength.

“If I’m going to roast something, I’m not gonna waste my time on a couple of berries!” He insisted, glaring frustratedly at the unyielding pear.

Finally, the rod broke through the fruit, almost stabbing him in the hand in the process. Kurogane yelled in surprise, and Syaoran jumped up to make sure he was okay. _He’s so stubborn,_ Fai thought affectionately.

They all put their fruit over the fire, Kurogane’s rod bending dangerously at the weight on it. He tried to hold it higher while it cooked, but the entire process seemed like a struggle not to set it on fire. Even when the cooking was done and they went to taste their fruit, Kurogane didn’t seem very satisfied with his work. The outside was charred nearly black, and as soon as he took a bite, Fai heard the crunch of the uncooked inside. Kurogane held the pear out and stared at it as though it had failed him.

Syaoran gasped in amazement as he took a bite of one of his own small fruits.

“It’s so soft and sweet!” he stated, returning for another bite as quickly as he could. Kurogane stared at his fruit with barely concealed jealousy.

Fai’s heart felt warm as he watched the people he was closest to enjoy this time. He always knew he would be content as long as they were happy, but he wasn’t prepared for the joy it would bring him as well. The longing not only to see them happy, but to be there with them to enjoy it. His mind almost began looping into how undeserving he was, how his brother should be here with him, when he remembered the memories he had received from his brother after fighting Ashura. The last words he gave him before he disappeared.

“…try to live free!”

This is what his brother wanted for him. He suddenly understood. While he stayed in that tower, preparing to sacrifice everything, his brother had wished with all his heart that Yuui could find happiness. He had seen it in Fai’s eyes while he fell, but he never understood the hope that shone in them right before he hit the ground. He had always blamed himself for his brother’s death, but he never took the time to think about the motivation behind his brother’s decision. And now he knew that he would have made the same sacrifice for his brother, if he had been chosen to.

He felt that hope deep in his soul as he watched the peaceful scene around him play out. Syaoran must have been exhausted, he had since fallen asleep against Kurogane’s shoulder. The ninja was trying to act nonchalant, but Fai could tell he was moving as little as possible to avoid waking the kid, a slight smile forming in the semi-darkness. Despite his earlier doubts, Fai was so grateful to have them, to have this peace and this chance to live his life away from the horrors he had grown up knowing. It was more than he ever wanted, more than he ever thought he deserved.

“Hey mage, you doing alright?” Kurogane whispered. He had probably noticed that Fai was spacing out. As always, he tried not to sound concerned, but Fai heard an edge of it nonetheless.

“Just thinking, Kuro-tan,” Fai said, affection naturally seeping into his tone. At the beginning of their journey together, what seemed now like so long ago, that affection had been just a façade to hide his issues from the others. He never would have expected how close he would become to these people, how intertwined they would become in his destiny. He never would have expected that affection be genuine.

“You should eat that fruit before it gets cold,” Kurogane advised, slightly bitterly. Fai took a two berries off the end of the stick, handing one out to Kurogane with a playful expression.

“You should learn when to admit defeat, Kuro-sama.”

After a moment of consideration, Kurogane smirked and took the berry from his hand.

As Fai popped the other berry into his mouth, he took another glance at the starry sky. Only a few stars were visible in the light of the campfire, but one right above him was especially brilliant despite its competition. For some reason, Fai couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of it. Its light was as calm and peaceful as Fai felt right now, and staring at it made him feel…relieved. As though its light was a sign that he could finally lay down the burdens of the past and fully enjoy the present. A tear threatened to spill from one of his eyes at the confirmation that it was ok to move on. He had struggled with that for so long, the thought once seemed so insurmountable that he didn’t think it would ever be possible. But now it was so easy, like lifting a weight off his back and letting him breath. It finally felt like the right time. He smiled gently at his newfound life, his family, and slid closer to Kurogane’s side.

For his brother’s sake and for his own, he would be happy.

The campfire seemed to burn brighter, and the star slowly faded into the night.


End file.
